REFLECTIONS Holidays is investing $1.13 million to protect endangered fish in Australian waterways in partnership with NSW’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), with a focus on saving some species from possible extinction.
The 10-year investment by Reflections, aims to boost threatened native fish species like the Macquarie Perch by enhancing DPIRD’s threatened species recovery initiatives, by funding essential research to better understand the species’ biology.
On May 12, NSW DPIRD Fisheries staff set off on a five-day expedition travelling via raft along the Shoalhaven River in the hope of locating any remnant populations of the Kangaroo River Perch, a genetically distinct sub-species of the Macquarie Perch, which was last sighted over 20 years ago.
Kangaroo River Perch are currently classified as Macquarie Perch, however significant evidence suggests they are a separate unique species.
The purpose of the expedition was to collect water samples from over 100km of almost inaccessible sections of the Shoalhaven River and then have these samples analysed to see if they contain the DNA of the Kangaroo River Perch. The team also undertook targeted fyke netting surveys every night to increase their chances of detection.
Hope remains for the Kangaroo River Perch, considering that the species has been historically located in extremely remote and inaccessible locations, the Kangaroo River Perch population decline is symptomatic of the reduction in native freshwater fish species, with 47% now considered threatened.
During the expedition, DPIRD Fisheries worked with local Traditional Owners, utilising their knowledge to identify and target key areas of importance to them, while providing training and skills in collecting Environmental DNA (eDNA) samples.
